Only One Rifle

[blackbear]

If you could only own one rifle for bear and other big game what would it be?
What caliber?

[jk3006]

Really tough to call.  I hunt deer and black bear.  I would like to hunt elk sometime soon.  I currently shoot a 7 mag, and that fits the bill nicely.  If I hunted a lot of elk-sized game, then I'd probably get a 300 Winchester Mag.  If I had to make the choice right now as to which gun I'd use for the rest of my life with absolutely no option of another purchase down the road, I'd probably go with the 300 mentioned above, as it will take down even bigger game in a pinch.  I won't ever hunt the big bears or anything dangerous in Africa, so I don't have a need for a .338 or .375.

I suppose the good ole '06 will do, but I really do like the extended range of the magnum for shots past 300 yards (not on bear, mind you).

[blackbear]

In the last few years I have been shooting big bore rifles. I would go with the .450 Marlin. It is a fun gun to shoot and I have always liked lever action rifles.

[mcwoodduck]

Seeing that you like the 450 Marlin it would be a great choice for both.  I'm guessing that you do not have long shots in open area.
Any rifle that will work for Deer in the area you hunt will work for Black bear.
Personally I like a 308 rifle but again any of the calibers would work for you.  I have a number of rifles that fit the bill and would not feel under gunned with anything in the 6mm or up class.
Since most black bears are shot in the lungs the bigger hole would aid in the drowning of the bear.
I have used my Marlin in 45-70 for both on trips to NC.  I failed in a long shot on deer but that was my fault for trying an offhand shot at 175+ yards with a big 405 grain bullet and guess the hold over to be too much and the round sailed right over the little buck.
If it's your one big game rifle you will be more familiar with it and will know the hold over.

[Varmint Hunter]

Easy - go back to the basics - 30-06 or .308. If you just gotta have something newer or faster than I'd consider the 300WSM but that's only if you reload.

[deltecs]

If you could only own one rifle for bear and other big game what would it be?
What caliber?

Probably the .338-06 as the lighter weight bullets are fast enough for long range game like sheep, goat, deer, antelope, and caribou or on boar and black bear.   With the heavier bullets it is sufficient on moose, bison, brown bear, muskox, and really big elk.  The one downfall is lack of factory cartridges available.  If mandated that factory ammo be used, then IMO it would be the .338 Win Mag for all NA hunting until another cartidge without the belt is widely available with similar ballistics.  I just have my personal preference that I do not like belted rim cases.   

[NONYA]

Bbear and other game.. 7MM RM,Big bears and other game...8MM RM

[BIG JAKE]

Here in the northeast were I live out of all of them I'd take my 356 winchester for deer, black bear, moose and elk. It'll handle them all if I respect range limits of the gun.

[NYH1]

I'd like a Remington model 700 CDL 35 Whelen. 

[Cabin4]

45-70

[Rev Buck]

The .450 is a great bear round and is fast becoming my favorite rifle.  The .30-06 is hard to beat for all-around hunting but my .450 gets the nod most of the time, especially for bear.  Rev

[deltecs]

I realize this post is under Bear Hunting, but the question of this topic is one rifle for bear and OTHER BIG game.  A .450 could be used for sheep and most certainly be more than adequate, but I bet I would have more successful sheep hunting trips with a .338 Win Mag than someone with a .450.   A .450 for antelope would be the ultimate in hunting for the man who has months to spend shooting one.  The same applies with any bore that hasn't got the range to accurately at typical distances shoot the animals.  A .30 cal round will effectively take black bear and most other typical deer sized game, but not as effectively on Big game, brown bear, or moose as the .338 Win Mag.  It has been done but not as consistently as bigger bores with similar trajectories using heavier bullets.  Admittedly the .375's are even better than the .338 for BIG game but not quite as versatile as the .338 rounds having similar ballistics as the Win Mag.  For every area of the country, arguments can be made for other cartridges, but the question was one rifle for everything with no limitation on where it is used.  The cartridges and our favorites (by the way, I do not own a .338 Win Mag or similar round, but have used them) are posted by most but nothing has been suggested for the overall rifle and action type.

[NONYA]

OK...8mm Rem mag in a Remington model 700 bolt action,synthetic stock,harris bipod,Leupold 3x8 scope,180 gr. Barnes TSX over 78 grains of IMR 4350,sighted in 2" high at 100 yards,that combo is more than adequate for any game animal in North America and can make clean kills at very long ranges.

[Rev Buck]

The 8mm mag is a tempting choice for sure.  Wish I had one    The .338 would be great if you think you might run into a brown bear on the trail but they don't exist where I hunt.  If the gent had said "sheep and other big game" I would take my .270 or .30-06.  Maybe I read too many Jack O'Connor stories when I was a kid.  As "boring" as it may sound the '06 is still a good choice but I like the thought of the 8mm mag too.  I also like the .338 Federal but don't have one YET.     

[deltecs]

It has been my experience with hand loads that the more cartridge choices in a caliber, the more bullet failures are encountered.  Take the .308 bore group.  The bullet manufacturers make bullets designed for controlled expansion within a specific velocity range and not just for any one cartridge.  So, in order for that bullet to work in a .308 properly may not work in a .300 Win at close quarters in the lighter weights.  These bullets are more frangible than their heavier counterparts and may not perform as intended with much higher velocities from Magnums.  The same applies to the 8mm bore.  The reputation of the .270 Win and .338 Win as to game killings calibers is not so much from the design of the cartridge as it is from bullet makers designing the bullets to fit the velocities that these cartridges generate.  It is relatively recently that other cartridges have encroached on these 2 bores.  So, when I choose a cartridge for hunting, I take as much care in the bullet selections readily available as I do the cartridge itself.  This becomes even more important when choosing factory ammo.

[Rev Buck]

Hmm very interesting point deltecs.  I certainly agree that bullet selection is of paramount importance with any cartridge.  Thanks, Rev

[NONYA]

You would have to screw up REAL bad in order to load a TSX so it wouldnt perform.

[victorcharlie]

I'm quite surprised...For a one rifle non handloading person, it would be tough to beat the 30.06.

[Cabin4]

I'm quite surprised...For a one rifle non handloading person, it would be tough to beat the 30.06.

Although my choice was the 45-70, I can't disagree with this choice......